Calling all creative recipe people – IGA Supermarkets Australia is looking for you! Take the IGA Creative Kitchen Challenge and share your favourite Easter recipes featuring one or more of several ingredient options available at your local IGA. There are great prizes in store so join in the fun. Who knows, your recipe might make it on an IGA Recipe Card!
I got a bit excited when I heard about this because there is a brand new IGA less than 5 minutes from where I live. Not only that, my new IGA is open from 6am to midnight, 7 days a week. I was there are 6:10am yesterday morning picking up sultanas and flaked almonds for my granola bars (post coming soon). How convenient is that?
I went in today to get the ingredients for this post and as I was getting the shaved ham off the bone I had a chat to Karen Nicholls the chef and Charlotte McLoughlin, the deli manager. They are as excited about the new store as I am. Why? Because they stock great local and Australian products like Bill’s Beetroot Marmalade which is like eating a spoonful of heaven. They also carry a good assortment of imported goods too. I bought some black treacle there the other day straight from England, complete with a flag on the can.
About this contest – it’s for recipes by locals for locals – real food by real people and they’d like YOU to enter. All you need to do is go through your Easter recipes and for the Week 1 competition, see which of your recipes use one or more of these ingredients:
Cadbury Cooking Chocolate
Fresh Apples
White Wings Flour
CSR Caster Sugar
Pascall Marshmallows
Next, purchase the ingredients at your local IGA and then create your dish and send IGA the recipe. There are prizes every week for four weeks. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never entered a recipe contest before – Now Is the Time! 🙂
Here’s a good Easter recipe that’s a new favourite at our house. It’s called Saturday Surprise Puffs and it’s made from ingredients you might have in your freezer, refrigerator and pantry all the time. What’s the surprise? Would you put onions, garlic, mushrooms, turmeric and condensed milk together? No, I wouldn’t have said I would either until I tried this. These were truly wonderful.
You can even make these ahead because they’re terrific at room temperature too. I had these done in under an hour and I still had time to empty the dishwasher and put a load of wash on. That’s my kind of recipe. We had these for lunch and there wasn’t one bit left over.
- 2 sheets puff pastry
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ medium onion finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 cup small mushrooms, chopped
- 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (plus additional for garnish)
- 4 slices shaved ham off the bone
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- ⅛ cup grated cheddar cheese for garnish
- Place frozen puff pastry out to thaw. Preheat oven to 210C/425F.
- In a frying pan on medium heat, add1 tablespoon of butter. When the butter is melted add the garlic, onion and ginger along with a pinch of salt and saute on medium heat until translucent.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter and add in the chopped mushrooms and stir-fry until golden brown.
- Add the turmeric and sweetened condensed milk and cook until the mixture is nearly dry.
- Cut the puff pastry sheets into squares and gently place in a cupcake tin. Use every other hole so the pastry has room to hang over. Gently press pastry into the cupcake holes to form a cup.
- Tear shaved ham and divide amongst the pastry cups.
- Add a small square of cream cheese to each cup.
- Divide the mushroom mixture evenly and place on top of the ham and cream cheese.
- Whisk together the eggs, cream, parsley, salt and pepper and fill the puff pastry cups nearly to the top.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes and then reduce heat to 180C/350F for a further 15 minutes or until the egg mixture has puffed up signaling it's cooked through.
- Remove from oven and garnish with grated cheese and parsley.
- Serve as finger food or alongside a garden salad.
This post was kindly sponsored by IGA Australia.
Ok, I have to confess, I’ve always thought of IGA being a very small convenience store like supermarket and a friend just last week told me how she did all her shopping at her local one with me arguing that that was a stupid idea. Well apparently I’m totally wrong and owe an apology. I had no idea, that a> they had taken over the Franklins stores and b> they’re everywhere, competitively priced and sell fresh produce too. My bad.
Your surprise puffs look amazing!! And hey, the ask for a tablespoon of condensed milk which means there is plenty left in the can to eat. Just give me a spoon 😉
It used to be that way, Lisa, but times they are a-changing and people like me want local produce and products and we can get that from our local IGA. I have plans for that leftover condensed milk. Hope you’re feeling really good!
I bet these would make amazing bite-sized hors d’œuvres too! I too find that combo of ingredients a bit odd, but you’ve convinced me it’s darn good! I I wish everyone luck for the contest. We haven’t had IGAs in Toronto for years.
The IGAs around here were small mom ‘n pop stores but this one rivals the biggies and they stock really good local and Australian products. I love that.
Hi Maureen, well I’m in the states so this counts me out, but I sure do enjoy seeing what is local in other places. Your puffs look so gorgeous and flaky. These would be perfect for a Easter holiday brunch.
Those Saturday Surprise Puffs are cute! And look awfully tasty. One of the jobs of traveling is visiting local food stores — both the small ones like bakers and butchers, and the big supermarkets. Although grocery stores around the world have gotten pretty similar overall, it’s the local stuff that always makes a difference (particularly cuts of meat — amazing how different parts of the world cut up cows and pigs so differently!). This sounds like a great place, and one I’d enjoy visiting (and I do meant to make it to Australia someday). Fun post — thanks.
Maureen, they look delish! We have an IGA close to us which is full of unusual imported Italian foodstuffs, and a new one in the neighbouring suburb which is now packed with unusual gourmet treats. I love how different all the IGAs are, but also how flash some of the new ones have become!
My favourite supermarket is the IGA at noosa. Such a great selection of local goodies!
These look great Maureen and really pretty too!
Why were you shopping at 6.10am? You need to learn the art of sleeping in. That IGA store looks very slick. I have two IGA stores within walking distance of where I live but they don’t look anything like that! But…I always shop at IGA because I hate what Coles and Woolworths have done to small businesses. I love your Saturday surprises. They look good and I know they’d be very tasty xx
I’m delighted by these puffs, Maureen. They are such great weekend food to grab on the go in between jaunts to town and projects around the house. 🙂
These are adorable and look great for a brunch or as a little app as mentioned above. IGA just took over our little island store… seems good so far. cheers! wendy
I love IGA supermarkets, Maureen, wish we had one in our local area! It’s Saturday, are you going to surprise me and arrive on my doorstep with one of your delicious little puff things xox
These look fantastic, Maureen. I love to shop at IGA when I am visiting in Quebec. They have a wonderful selection. We don’t have any here in Sarasota, Florida.
These are GORGEOUS Maureen. I vote for you!! I love that store too, it looks amazing. We used to have IGA’s here but they’ve pretty much disappeared, sad!
These would be perfect for my dinner guests tonight! Hmm let me think if I have all the ingredients. I think I do except for mushrooms! 🙂
Maureen you have me craving mushrooms… Loving these little egg puff appetizers. Great for Easter brunch or any gathering. Is that brown sauce in the background? My boys love eggs with the brown sauce. Take Care, BAM
I would like to puff them in my mouth during lunch hour. 🙂 ela
One of my favorite things when in another country is browse through the supermarkets there. It’s always so different from the supermarkets at home… Obviously we do not have IGA here, but hey Australia is high on my list of countries to visit so who knows I might get to see one on the inside at some point. In the meantime I’ll make this little darlings as they look delicious!
Your new IGA looks lovely. I do like the newer IGA stores (and obviously some of the older ones too!) – they have a lot of products Coles and Woolworths don’t stock and it is nice to support smaller businesses. Their kitchen challenge is a great idea too and you have got off to a good start with it!
Love that fact that you were dedicated enough to be there so early for your granola bar ingredients Maureen!
These little bites look lovely.
Krissie x – http://pearlsofstyle.blogspot.com.au/
Hello Maureen! A great contest and an even better recipe. I love these little quiches!
You are lucky to have a new IGA and to have the early hours. We don’t have IGA here in South Carolina but most of our grocery stores don’t open til 8:00 AM and a couple not until 9:00. Your puffs look really delicious!! 🙂
That looks delicious and I love mushrooms. What a great post!
WOW! Those look great.
What a combo!! I can totally see the condensed milk in this recipe. Perfect timing too. I was looking for a finger food recipe and this is perfect!
G’day! Your puffs look great Maureen! Thanks for highlighting such a fun thing to do!
Good Luck for future weeks too!
Cheers! Joanne
Love these puffs!! I bet the bit of turmeric provides a nice, unexpected flavor. Looks like a fun contest. Good luck!
Congratulations Maureen, it was great to see your beautiful photos on the IGA website! This might be one of the most delicious looking Surprise Puffs I have seen. Love your IGA market wish we would have one here in Califronia.
Good Luck 🙂
Judit
The puff look very tasty though I find the idea of opening a can of sweetened condensed milk so as to use a single tablespoon in the recipe impractical. 🙂 I’ll just stick with some regular milk or sour cream. Have fun with the contest.
Now that I’ve used up the last of the package of phyllo pastry in my freezer with a batch of walnut baklava, I guess it’s finally time to use the box of puff pastry for something tasty … maybe with sweetened condensed milk or dulce de leche. You never know.
What a perfect little recipe! And then I would be able to use the rest of the condensed milk for magic cookie bars! And that grocery-well, I have a thing for groceries. I don’t care where I travel I love to go to the groceries. That one looks pretty special!
If I was a judge, I think you would have a winning recipe. 😀
We’ve had some nicer markets move into the area in the past 5 years or so…I do less driving to find that odd ingredient…such a bonus. Your puffs look DELICIOUS!!! The addition of sweetened condensed milk is a bit strange, but there’s not enough to make this savory treat too sweet…so I’m willing to eat my share!
I love little puffs like these for brunch!
This recipe would be a winner at our house for sure!
We used to have an IGA in our town, my mom shopped there all the time. I have so many great memories of that store.
I am in awe of the surprise puffs, how cool are they. So many happy flavours in one bite. My hubby would go crazy for these.
That vine looks cool and that puff pastry looks amazing, I would definitely have it for breakfast anyday
I like playing with puff pastry you can make endless sweet and salty dishes from it. Maureen, your version looks so tempting to make.
Oh That turmeric in the recipe is making it shine like Golden sun. Sweet and Savory puffs! I love the flavors you have put together. It is a winner!
Great contest! It’s a pity that it is only for local contesters. Your surprise puffs look quite delish and versatile…Great for cocktail parties, as a starter, or breakfast. Way to go!
Mmm, these puffs look so tasty. I just happen to have some puff pastry in my freezer that needs to get used up before my move next week!
condensed milk in a savoury dish- i am stunned:) and i know what you mean about going to IGA- they have such interesting products that you cant get readily at big stores. i love to have new and different items so it is a bit of fun shopping there too.
These look so good – you always have such great ideas for puff pastry! This looks like a fun store. 🙂